Little Armalite

{{main|Provisional Irish Republican Army arms importation}}

The song dates from the early 1970s, when the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) illegally imported various forms of weaponry, including the Armalite AR-18 rifle, from the United States. The Armalite AR-18 was for many years the most lethal weapon available to the IRA; for this reason, it became an iconic symbol of the IRA's armed campaign. After the song was released, ArmaLite purportedly purchased 1,000 copies of a recording of it and distributed among their salesmen to boost weapons purchases.{{cite book |last=Bishop |first=Chris |date=1998 |title=Guns in Combat |location=Edison, N.J. |publisher=Chartwell Books, Inc |isbn=0-7858-0844-2}}{{cite book |title=Celtic geographies: old culture, new times|last=Harvey|first=David|author-link=David Harvey (geographer)|year=2002|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-0-415-22397-3|page=187 }} Writer Jim Dooley described "Little Armalite" as a "amusing and boastful rallying song".{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HVk1DwAAQBAJ&dq=Little+Armalite&pg=PT97 | isbn=978-1-912248-04-9 | title=Red Set: A History of Gang of Four | date=17 May 2018 | publisher=Repeater }} Historian Marc Mulholland described the song as embodying "sentiments of revenge [which] loomed large in the motivations of IRA volunteers".{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=y2laquePcOcC&dq=Little+Armalite+certainly+sentiments+of+revenge&pg=PT98 | isbn=978-0-19-157919-6 | title=Northern Ireland: A Very Short Introduction | date=23 January 2003 | publisher=OUP Oxford }}

And it's down Along the Falls Road, that's where I long to be,

Lying in the dark with a Provo company,

A comrade on my left and another on me right

And a clip of ammunition for my little Armalite.

I was stopped by a soldier, he said, You are a swine,

He hit me with his rifle and he kicked me in the groin,

I begged and I pleaded, all my manners were polite

But all the time I'm thinking of me little Armalite.

And it's down in The Bogside that's where I long to be,

Lying in the dark with a Provo company,

A comrade on my left and another on me right

And a clip of ammunition for my little Armalite.

Well this brave RUC man came marching up into our street

Six hundred British soldiers he had lined up at his feet

"Come out, ya cowardly Fenians", come on out and fight".

He cried, "I'm only joking", when he heard the Armalite.

And it's down in Bellaghy that's where I long to be,

Lying in the dark with a Provo company,

A comrade on my left and another on me right

And a clip of ammunition for my little Armalite.

Well the army came to visit me, 'twas in the early hours,

With Saladins and Saracens and Ferret armoured cars

They thought they had me cornered, but I gave them all a fright

With the armour piercing bullets of my little Armalite.

And it's down in the New Lodge that's where I long to be,

Lying in the dark with a Provo company,

A comrade on my left and another on me right

And a clip of ammunition for my little Armalite.

Well when Pryor came to Belfast to see the battles won,

The generals they had told him "we've got them on the run",

But corporals and privates on patrol at night,

Said 'Remember Narrow Water and the bloody Armalite.'

And it's down in Crossmaglen, that's where I long to be,

Lying in the dark with a Provo company,

A comrade on me left and another on me right

And a clip of ammunition for my little Armalite.

{{notelist|group=efn}}

In older versions of the song, the second last part had said:{{cite web | url=https://alphahistory.com/northernireland/my-little-armalite-1975/ | title=My Little Armalite (Wolfhound, 1975) | date=14 July 2017 }}

"When Tuzo came to Belfast, he said, 'The battle’s won'

Said General Ford 'We’re winning sir, we have them on the run'

But corporals and privates, on patrol at night

Said 'send for reinforcements, it’s the bloody Armalite.'"

{{reflist}}

• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehukpdse8_w Video with song and music]

{{Irish rebel songs}}

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Category:1970s songs

Category:Irish songs

Category:Year of song missing

Category:1975 singles

Category:Songs about The Troubles (Northern Ireland)